Ceiling and wall box.



No. 782,417. PATENTED FEB.14,1905'.

J. T. ROBB.

CEILING AND WALL BOX. Y

APPLICATION. FILED J'UIB 1 19 03.

UNITED STATESv Patented February 14, 1905.

PATENT I OFFICE.

JAMES T. ROBB, OF FLATBUSH, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE MITCHELL VANCE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CEILING AND WALL; Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,417, dated. February 14, 1905.

I Application filed June 1, 1903. Serial No. 159,711.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMEs T. RoBB, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Flatbush, in the borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ceiling and Wall Boxes, of which the following is a.

description.

This invention relates to improvements in ceiling and wall boxes of the general type illustrated in my Patent No. 727,842, of May 12,

the admission of the leading-in wires and' with other integral lugs to which the cover is removably secured. The cover, as well as the top, is formed of cast metal, the latter having recesses within which engage the securing-lugs, so that a substantially flush surface is produced. Thev top carries an insulating-joint to which the fixture is attached.

In order to more fully understand the nature of my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the blank from which the sides are formed, with the openings for the leading-in wires and the lugs for retaining the top and cover in place. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the box. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the lines 3 3 of Fig. 2, and. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the lines 4 1 of Fig. 2.

In all of the several views like parts aredesignated by the same numerals of reference.

The top 1 is rectangular in shape and is preferably formed of cast metal,with the joint 2 integral therewith. If the top is made of sheet metal, the joint 2 would be separately formed and attached by means of screws or rivets. The joint illustrated is similar to that described in my Patent No. 728,015, dated May 12, 1903; but any other form of joint .may be employed, or the fixture may be attached to the top in any other manner well known in the art. The sides 8 are formed of sheet metal, preferably a single strip, as shown This strip is bent to the necessary right angles at 1. The extremities of the strip are secured together in-any suitable manner, but preferably by. means of a rivet which can be passed through the openings 7 and the rectangular framework of the box will be therebyformed. The top is secured to the sides without the use of screws, rivets,

.or other separate devices by'means of aseries of lugs integrally formed with the sides and, upon the upper edge thereof and of which a moiety engages, respectively, above and below the edges of the top within recesses formed therein. The lugs 8 and 9 are in the form of rectangular projections made by removing a portion of the intervening material between contiguous lugs and are bent at right angles to engage with the top. At the base of each lug a wedge or V-shaped portion of the metal is removed at 10, while the lands 11 are of somewhat less height than the projections, but are still sufliciently high so that they will be flush with the upper face of the top when the latter is in place. Certain of the lugs, as those designated by the reference-numeral 8, are adapted to engage below the top to support it with its upper surface flush with theupper edge of the lands, While the other lugs, 9, are bent over the top to hold it in place. In making the box the lugs 8 may be bent at right angles or to their final position before the blank is formed into rectangular shape. The

position that the lugs 8 will assume is shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 and is preferred if by so doing the process of manufacture is facilitated; but the lugs 9 of course cannot be bentinward until the ends of the strip are secured and the top is inserted in place within the sides. For the purpose of securing greater strength and to avoid the lugs 8 orv 9 projecting beyond the inner andouter faces of the top the latter is provided with recesses 12 and 13 upon its lower and upper faces, respectively, so arranged that the lugs 8 will engage with the recesses 12, while the lugs 9 will engage with the recesses 18. The lands 11, engaging with theouter edges of the top, will form a structure which will tend to resist torsional strains.

A suitable cover 14, having a flanged opening 15 therein, is used and is secured to'the box by means of screws 16, which engage with threaded openings in integral flanges 17, so that it may be adjusted in place by the workmen in setting the box in position. The flanges 17 may be bent inwardly at right angles, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, before the strip of sheet metal which forms the sides is bent to the rectangular form.

Suitable openings 18. are formed at intervals within the sides for the entrance of the leading-in wires. These openings are closed by plugs 19, each comprising a stamped-metal body of larger diameter than the size of the openings, with offsets or ears 2O thereon, adapted to engage within the opening in contact with the edges thereof. These plugs may be readily removed by bending the ears or offsets 20 away from contact with the sides of the opening.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling and wall box formed with a top, and with sides of sheet metal, having integral lugs thereon, some of said lugs engaging'with the upper face and others of the said lugs engaging with the lower. face of the top, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a ceil- 28th day of May, 1903.

ing and wall box formed with a top, having recesses, and with sides of sheet metal, havgaging with the upper and lower faces of the top, and intermediate lands engaging with the outside edges of the top, substantially as described.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling and wall box formed with a top, and with sides of sheet metal, having integral lugs engaging with the upper and lower faces of the top recesses formed therein and intermediate lands engaging with the outside edges of the top, substantially as described.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling and Wall box formed with a top, and with sides of sheet metal, having lugs thereon, the said lugs being bent inward, and some of said lugs engaging with the upper face and others of the said lugs engaging with the lower face of the top, substantially as described.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling and wall box formed with a top, and with sides of sheet metal, having lugs thereon, the said lugs being bent inward and alternately engaging with the upper and lower faces of the top, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this JAMES T. ROBB.

Witnesses:

CHAs; S. BONNOR, G. C. FERRIs. 

